


Classroom Environment

by Daisyith



Category: Hatfilms, Yogscast
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-03
Updated: 2016-04-26
Packaged: 2018-05-31 00:23:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 12,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6448009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daisyith/pseuds/Daisyith
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>School had never been easy for Chris, he’d always been considered the loner, but would it get any easier when a new redheaded student arrived?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Encounters

FAG. QUEER. HOMO.

As Chris passed through the maze of desks, he could hear the harsh mutterings of his classmates. Each word was no more than a whisper, just loud enough for Chris to hear without attracting the attention of the teacher. He tried to ignore them, they were just words after all but they hurt, cutting through his skin and attacking his heart. He kept his head down and his feet moving. When he eventually made it to his desk, after a distance that felt more than doubled, he pushed his chair out and slumped into it, throwing his bag to the floor. Instantly, his head turned and looked out the window next to him, his only means of entertainment in this lesson. It was just another normal class in just another normal day, nothing was going to change that. 

Ever since year 9, Chris had been bullied and teased relentlessly for his sexuality. He had found himself unable to partake in the typical teenage discussions of who was the hottest girl because for him, none of them were. He found himself interested only in the male half of his year group. And it was one unfortunate mistake that led to him being excluded from social groupings, missing out on friendships or activities. It was his snap decision to reach out and clutch at that other boy’s hand, his stupid movement of pressing his lips against the other boy’s that led to him being isolated and mocked for. And after 2 years, nothing had changed. He was still Chris Trott, the loser, the loner, the nerd... 

He felt something hit him against the side of his head, snapping him back to reality. He looked around and noticed the crumpled piece of paper that lay to the side of his desk. He heard the sniggering and sighed. Nothing had changed and nothing was ever going to. 

Interrupting his thoughts for the second time, the teacher chose that moment to begin the lesson, “Right class, before we begin our science lesson, I have an announcement. We have a new student joining us today. I’d like you to welcome Alex Smith.” At that moment the classroom door swung open to reveal a slightly disheveled redhead. His white shirt was taught against his rugged frame, clinging to his every muscle, falling to his hips where it remained untucked from his trousers. Around his neck sat a skinny black tie, loose and low, a contrast from school regulations. His shoes were scuffed black trainers. His hair, a mess of ginger curls. His bag was carelessly slung onto his shoulders. A cocky grin sat on his face. He had effortlessly pulled off the hot mess look. But it didn’t matter, Chris knew it would only be a matter of time before the new boy hated him, just like everyone else did. 

He looked around the room, trying to guess where the new boy would be sitting only to be met with the realisation that the only spare chair in the classroom was the one next to him. Great. Just what he needed. 

“Right Alex, if you’d like to make your way to the back of the classroom, your seat is beside Chris. He’ll be your science partner for the rest of the year.” The teacher indicated to where Chris was sitting and Alex made his way to the empty chair. On his way, Chris could see the sympathetic looks on the other student’s faces, hear them call, 

“Unlucky mate!”

“Don’t let him try and change you!”

“That’s totally not fair.”

Chris sighed again as Alex threw his body onto the plastic chair, raising his legs so that his feet sat crossed at the ankle on the desk before him. Alex turned, offering his hand to Chris,

“Name’s Alex but you can call me Smith.” 

Chris reluctantly took Alex’s hand in his own, feeling slight butterflies as his smooth skin met the rough texture of Alex. “Chris.” He mumbled, desperately trying to cull the sudden feelings, he couldn’t let himself develop a crush on the redhead, it would be social suicide for them both. And he couldn’t do that to the new guy.

“Okay class, open your textbooks to page 134 and begin the questions on the chemical reactions. I’m sorry Chris but you’ll have to share until Alex gets his own book.” The teacher instructed.

Chris nodded and began thumbing through the book, trying to find the right page when Alex turned to look at him and asked curiously, “What was that all about?” 

Chris tensed, this was the first time anyone had even tried to be nice and talk to him but he couldn’t do it, couldn’t watch the poor boy be targeted just for talking to him, “I’m gonna make it easy for you as you’re new, there’s no point talking to me, it’ll only end badly for you.”

Alex’s face moved to a quizzical expression, “What do you mean?”

But Chris shook his head, refusing to answer. He shoved the textbook towards Alex, putting it in the middle of their shared desk. He didn’t want to explain his whole life story to this stranger. So the two boys spent the rest of the lesson in silence, Chris choosing to answer the questions assigned from the book while Alex spent the time alternating between time on his phone and doodling on the paper in front of him. 

For Chris, it was a relief when the bell finally sounded, a piercing sound that cut through the tension and silence of the room, he would be able to relax again once he was away from the redheaded student. But even as he turned to leave the classroom, he knew this time it wouldn’t be quite so easy to distance himself, there was something about the carefree attitude that had captivated him, drawn him in. Even so, he knew nothing would ever come of it, it would be better if he just forgot about the redhead.


	2. Unexpected Invitations

Pushing through the bustling corridor, Chris darted between bodies as he rushed towards his science class. He kept his head bowed, hoping that he could just turn invisible, sinking into the background so no-one would notice him. But it didn’t work. As he turned the corner, he felt his shoulder collide with another, one that was much more muscular than his own as the impact almost made him spin where he was standing,

“Watch where you’re goin freak!” The words were snarled at Chris with disgust. As Chris looked upwards, he noticed the shoulder belonged to one of the rugby players who was currently glaring at him with evil behind his eyes.

“S-S-Sorry…” Chris stammered before continuing in his mission to reach science before his other classmates. He thought that maybe arriving before everyone else would mean he could escape their harsh words for today. He pushed open the door and was met with relief as he made his way through the empty rows of tables, finding comfort in his own plastic chair. He threw his bag to the ground and turned to look out of the window, watching as various people passed. He saw the head of the football team laughing and joking with a couple of girls. He noticed the photography students survey the area, each with a high-tech camera slung around their necks. He observed the principle rush through the car park with a stack of files in hand, obviously in a rush. They were all normal people going about their normal lives, no-one even noticing they were being watched. 

The sound of the door opening brought him back to present day, his head snapping instantly to look at who had crossed the boundaries into the science class. To his surprise, the new redheaded student was staring at him, “Wasn’t sure I’d find the right room again.” He called across the classroom, making his way through the otherwise empty class, sitting down next to Chris again, “So when does science get fun? When do we get the explosions?” He queried, a menacing look appearing in his blue eyes.

Chris frowned, “I thought I told you yesterday not to talk to me.” 

Alex turned in his chair, looking Chris directly in the eye, “I know.” He said softly.

Chris felt a familiar feeling of panic overwhelm him. What did he know? Did he know about him? Would he start hating him for it like everyone else? “What?” He mumbled after a moment of silence.

“I know about you.” Alex answered, extending his hand until it connected with Chris’ skin, resting lightly against Chris’ thigh as it began to gently caress the skin there, “I know about you, someone told me and I couldn’t care less.”

Chris’ mind was racing, was Alex saying what he thought he was? Was he - Was he the same? Before Chris could open his mouth, the classroom door opened again and the room was filled with noise and laughter as the rest of the class joined them. At the sight of other people, Alex’s hand sprung away from his leg and Chris was left missing the warmth it had momentarily brought. 

“Hey, Smith mate.” A student called across the classroom, “Got a party tonight, fancy coming?” For a second, Chris felt jealous, he had never been invited to a party. But after the way everyone had treated him, he didn’t actually want to go to one. But still, it would have been nice to have the option.

Smith smiled apologetically, “Sorry mate, got a family thing. Next time though.” 

Before anything else could be said, the teacher entered the classroom, closing the door behind him, “Right class, textbooks out again. I want you to finish the work we started yesterday on chemical reactions.” The class sighed all together. Everyone except Chris, he was looking forward to some more book work, it would give him a chance to comprehend everything that had just happened. Alex had blown off a party with some of the coolest people in the school, he seemed different. He seemed nice. And Chris was surprised, this was the first person who had even talked to him at school in the last two years. And what did he mean earlier?

As the rest of the class worked through the textbook, Chris was lost in thought, barely managing to answer any more questions. He was so lost that when the teacher began speaking again at the end of the lesson, he almost jumped in surprise,

“Okay class, to finish off the theory aspect of chemical reactions, with the person sitting next to you, I want you to produce a project on two different chemicals for next lesson. I want you research the chemicals individually, what can you tell me about their properties? Then I would like a prediction as to how you think they will react together. We will be testing some of them next lesson.”

Alex turned to look at his Chris, his eyebrows cocked slightly, “Fancy coming over tonight and getting it out of the way and done?” 

Chris’ eyes widen in disbelief and his voice expressed his evident surprise, “Why? You don’t have to be nice to me, we can just split it and work at home separately.” 

“Look, just because they’re all dicks.” Alex gestured to the classmates around him, “It doesn’t mean I am. Come over tonight, we’ll get some pizzas and play a few games, you like video games right?”

Chris nodded, he loved video games, for him, they were the perfect source of entertainment that didn’t require real life friends. They were his escape from reality, “But you said earlier that you were busy.”

“I am. I’m busy with you. Give me your phone.” Alex answered, extending his phone, palm up to which Chris reluctantly slipped his phone into it. Alex held it for a moment, pressing buttons on the screen which Chris assumed was him inputting his number and dialling his own phone. As Alex passed it back he said,

“I’ll text you my address, see you at 7ish mate.” It wasn’t a question, it was an instruction. Chris didn’t know what to do, he hadn’t been called mate in a long time and it would be nice to have someone to do the project with rather than doing it at home. But did he actually want to go? He knew nothing about this new guy, only his name. There was something about Alex that drew Chris in, made him want to find out more. But that same thing made him want to keep his distance, made Chris want to drawback so that Alex wouldn’t be targeted and hated. It was a tricky situation and as Chris made his way out of the classroom, he was glad that he had the rest of the school day to ponder it.


	3. Opening Up

Chris ran his fingers through his hair and sighed in frustration. He was standing in his bedroom with his glasses sitting upon his nose and just a towel slung around his waist. He had just exited the shower and was now riffling through his clothes, desperately trying to find something suitable to wear tonight. He had discarded piles of clothing to one side, deeming most of it dirty or stupid. He wanted to wear something that would impress his science partner, something that was a bit different from the usual shirt and trousers he was forced to wear on a daily basis at school. He moved from his wardrobe to the piles of clothing that littered his floor. As he threw more clothes to the discarded section, his fingers connected with the rough cotton material of his favourite hoodie. He pulled it from beneath other clothes, bringing it to his nose where he sniffed, deciding it was clean enough to wear. He slipped it over his head, pulling on a pair of boxers and black skinny jeans afterwards. With his outfit on, Chris moved in front of the mirror and inspected his appearance, deeming himself presentable. He moved, slipping on his pair of converse before checking his phone.

As promised, Alex had messaged Chris during the school’s lunch break with his address which turned out was surprisingly close to Chris’ house, only about a ten minute walk away. And so at about 6:45, Chris exited his own house and began the journey. He slipped on a pair of earphones and began playing music from his phone. Each step Chris took was in time to the music that only he could hear.

As Chris reached the house he presumed was the redhead’s, he was suddenly overcome with nerves. What they talk about all evening? Would they get along? Would he start mocking him? He raised his arm, readying himself to knock on the door. But he was hesitant, tempted to just turn around and go home. But he was here now, there was no point in being scared. So, he took a deep breath before he moved his hand, knocking three times against the wooden door before him. 

Chris stood on the doorstep for a few moments, still and silent as he awaited a response to his knocking. It took a while but eventually the door swung open to reveal the redheaded Alex who was wearing just a pair of shorts low on his hips. Chris felt a warm feeling spread over his face, covering his cheeks in a red and embarrassed blush. He could see a thin sheen of sweat glistening against Alex’s muscles and Chris felt entranced, unable to take his eyes of the defined skin.

“Is it 7 already?” Alex questioned, bringing Chris out of his trance, leaving him unable to look Alex completely in the eye, “I was just working out, must have gotten a bit carried away, sorry.”

“N-Not a problem…” Chris stuttered, finding himself suddenly flustered. Alex stood aside, letting the brunette inside and together they made their way into the lounge. Alex took Chris to the dining table which had various glossy leaflets strewn across,

“I’m just going to change, have a look at you fancy for dinner.” Alex spoke before turning around and heading out of the door. Chris, left by himself, pulled out a seat and sat at the table. He began looking through the leaflets but the words on the paper began blurring, swirling around into an incomprehensible mess. Chris found his mind kept wandering away from the idea of food, instead, the image of Alex’s muscular stomach appearing and remaining. He didn’t want pizza, he wanted Alex...

He took a deep breath, pulling his inappropriate thoughts away from his mind. He couldn’t think about those things, he couldn’t think about Alex in that way. He wouldn’t let himself. Instead, he forced himself to concentrate on the colourful pictures of various toppings on different pizza bases. By the time Chris had decided on a simple pepperoni pizza, Alex had re-entered the room, this time with a burgundy t-shirt over his shorts,

“You decided?” He asked, waiting for Chris’ nod before reaching over and taking the menu where he went to order the food. When he came back into the room, the two boys got out their few science notes and made slow progress on the task set, choosing to focus instead on getting to know each other. Much to Chris’ relief, there was plenty to talk about between the two of them, they had very similar interests. 

It didn’t take long before there was a knock on the door and the pizza had arrived. Their science work and textbooks lay discarded to one side, instead, the two boys focused on the pizza boxes that dominated the centre of the table. Chris reached out, removing a slice from the box and putting it on his plate.

“So…” Smith asked, chewing loudly around the mouthful of pizza he was eating, “How’d it end up so bad for you?” 

With his pizza raised by his mouth, Chris sighed. He hated reliving the story of how it all happened but there was something about the redhead that made him want to open up, “It was in year 9 at the school disco.” He began, his voice fairly quiet as it conveyed his embarrassment, “I was dancing with a guy, I thought he liked me. I reached out to hold his hand, the room was dark enough for no-one to notice. The music changed to something slower and he got nearer to me so I kissed him, it was just a spur of the moment thing but he didn’t like it. He pushed me, started shouting, punched me in the face by which point everyone started staring. Ever since then the names and the pushing have started…” Chris trailed off, unsure of how to continue, choosing instead to raise his pizza to his mouth and take a satisfying bites of the food. The flavours swirled around, the cheese and tomato base combining with the spicy pepperoni to create a blissful meal that Chris enjoyed. 

“That sucks mate, sorry to hear it.” Alex replied, sympathetically.

Chris nodded, taking a moment of silence as he continued to eat the food before speaking again, “You’re alright with it? Alright with being science partners? Aren’t you afraid they’ll start on you?”

“So what if they do? It’s their loss y’know, not getting to know you. And as I was trying to say earlier, of course I’m alright with it, I’m the same…”

Chris, deciding now what the perfect time to vocalise his thoughts about what Alex meant by this, queried, “What do you mean by that?”

“I’m gay, just like you.”

Chris almost choked on the pizza in his mouth, suddenly feeling flustered again, “Oh.” He said, unsure of what to say next. They sat in an awkward silence, both men enjoying the pizza but neither speaking until Chris did, trying to change the topic as he asked, “So how come you’ve ended up here?”

“Got expelled from my last school.” Alex answered matter-of-factly.

Chris felt his eyes widen in surprise, “What did you do?” He asked, his voice a mix of concern and curiosity.

“I tried to set fire to the bike sheds, got a bit bored.” Alex replied, a smirk spreading over his face as he relived the experience.

The two continued in conversation for the rest of that evening, talking about music, about games, about anything that came to mind. Once the pizza had been finished, they moved onto playing video games on Alex’s Xbox by the television, the science work now completely forgotten. It was nearly 11:00pm by the time Chris reluctantly left the redhead’s house, knowing he had to go home at that point or his parents would worry. It was Friday and Chris felt slightly sad at that knowledge, for once in his life, he was actually going to miss school over the weekend - not the lessons but rather the cocky rehead he sat next to in science. As it was Saturday tomorrow, he wouldn’t be seeing Alex for another two days.

“Thanks Smith, that was a lot of fun.” Chris spoke truthfully as he stood on the doorstep of Alex’s house, ready to turn around and leave. He really had had a lot of fun, this was the first time in a while that he’d enjoyed the company of someone his age in real life. And it was definitely the first time in a while he could say he had a friend. Especially one that he knew a crush was developing on.


	4. Picking Up The Pieces

When Chris next saw Alex, it was not the situation he’d imagined. 

As soon as Chris had entered the school grounds, he had been cornered by some of the students that were lurking by the gate. They had enclosed in on him. He had been surrounded, no way to escape.

“Fucking fag.” One spat, pushing Chris forwards with a fierce shove.

“We hate people like you.” Another snarled and this time Chris felt a searing pain above his eyebrow as skin connected with skin. A cry of pain escaped from his lips as his hands rose on instinct to clutch at the wounded skin.

“Don’t try and defend yourself freak.” A different voice growled and this time the excruciating pain spread across his bottom lip where he was met with the familiar metallic taste of blood. He felt the liquid drip into his mouth, down his chin, splattering against his white school shirt. He tried to reach out and push away the bullies but his actions were met with firm hands against his chest, pushing him to the floor. His arms scraped against the gravelled floor and he felt his elbows open to reveal the blood inside. As he fell, he felt his glasses come loose from around his ears and fall against the floor with a clutter which Chris desperately hoped had not broken them. 

“Please…” He called out but the students didn’t listen. Instead, he felt sharp pain on his ribcage, his legs, his back as limbs kicked out against them. He hated this, feeling so helpless and vulnerable, having no choice but to endure the pain that radiated through his body. He sighed miserably and closed his eyes, hoping the whole ordeal would be over quickly.

After what felt like a lifetime, Chris felt the pain stop momentarily as he heard a familiar voice call out, “Leave him alone.” Chris opened his eyes slowly and was met with the sight of his redhead science partner and new friend pushing away the bullying students, making his towards him. He felt gentle hands slips under his arms, helping him stand up, “Are you alright Chris?” He asked softly. Chris shook his head, he wasn’t alright, everything hurt. Alex bent down to pick up Chris’ glasses, slipping them onto his head where they belonged. 

With Alex’s hand pressed firmly against the small of his back, Chris was directed away from the crowds of people, heading into the nearest men’s toilets. As soon as he passed through the doorway, the tears that had been threatening to spill over his eyelashes, splashed against his cheekbones, trailing down until they reached the collar of his shirt. He lifted his hand, trying to wipe them away carelessly but there were too many and with a sigh, he gave up. 

“Oh Chrissy... “ Alex murmured sadly, he hated seeing his friend like this, “Sit down.” He instructed, guiding the brunette to the closed seat of one of the toilets. He disappeared, where Chris took temporary relief in the cool metal of the cubicle wall where he rested his sore head. His whole body hurt, his muscles ached and his cheek throbbed. He was in agony. 

After a few moments, Alex returned with a wad of damp toilet roll in hand. He moved until he was kneeling on the floor in front of Chris, not caring about the dirt that resided in the tiles, placing himself between Chris’ legs. He placed his thumb carefully under Chris’ chin, tilting his head upwards so that he could observe the injuries. “I’m going to be gentle alright.” He said softly, more of a statement than a question, reaching up and gently dabbing at the brunette’s open wounds, trying to clean them of blood. His movements were caring, full of unexpected kindness, a contrast to his usual cocky exterior. His fingers moved quickly, just ghosting over Chris’ skin, not pressing down on the inflamed areas that were already forming purplish lumps. He looked at the brunette before him with sympathy in his eyes, it wasn’t fair that Chris had to endure this sort of behaviour just because a lifestyle he couldn’t choose. It was ridiculous! He moved onto the gash above Chris’ eyebrow, taking extra care as he watched how Chris’ eyes closed on instinct, his eyelashes fluttering gently against his cheekbone. He was clearly in a lot of pain right now and Alex knew it would only get worse over the next couple of hours. 

As Alex tended to Chris’ wounds, the bathroom door opened, footsteps moving into the centre of the room. Alex felt Chris tense under his touch, saw his eyes widen in fear. He moved swiftly, closing the cubicle door, concealing the two of them from watchful eyes. His fingers ran through Chris’ hair, twisting and twirling some of the longer strands in an attempt to comfort and calm down the brunette. He felt a hand clutch desperately around his own, his fingers moving to curl around Chris’,

“It’s alright Chris, you’re safe now…” Alex whispered, only loud enough for Chris to hear.

After a few moments, the unknown footsteps headed out of the room and Chris visibly relaxed. With Alex’s hand still surrounding his own, Chris was helped to stand up from the toilet where Alex’s strong arms wrapped carefully around Chris’ waist, bringing him into a hug. Chris, comforted by the action, nestled his head into Alex’s neck before speaking,

“Why? Why does it have to happen to me?” He asked pathetically, his voice muffled by Alex’s clothing.

Alex smiled sadly, “You’ve got me now mate.” He leant down and placed a gentle kiss against Chris’ uninjured right cheek, “I’ll always stand up for you now.” He felt Chris’ head nod against his skin, “How about we go back to mine? I think you deserve the rest of the school day off.”

“I’d like that Smith, thanks.” Chris replied, his voice quiet and barely audible.

Alex slipped his hoodie from his shoulders, helping Chris to slip his arms into the material who winced at every moment. He pulled the zip upwards, using it to obscure Chris’ bloodstained uniform, smiling at the way it swamped his smaller frame. He placed his hand once again against the small of Chris’ back and guided him out of the school and towards his house, thoughts of lessons forgotten.


	5. Caring

As Chris walked, every step he took sent unbearable pain through his body. He had Alex’s arm wrapped around his waist, supporting him and guiding in the right direction. Although it was only a short distance to Alex’s house, for Chris, it certainly felt like longer. 

Once they made it through the front door, Alex directed Chris into the kitchen where he pulled out an ice-pack from the freezer, wrapped it in a teatowel and offered it to Chris, “Here you go, it’ll help with the swelling.” 

Chris graciously accepted, placing it gently against his lip that had already grown slightly in size. He winced at the sudden change in temperature as cold spread across his skin but oddly, it felt kind of nice, a temporary relief from the pain. He smiled at Alex, “Thanks.”

Alex nodded in response before speaking again, “I’ll grab you a shirt from upstairs, you’ve got quite a lot of blood on yours.” He disappeared upstairs where he started rummaging through the clothes that lay strewn across his floor. He searched for one shirt in particular, it was one that was slightly too small across his body but one that might just fit Chris. After searching through piles of clean clothing, Alex eventually found the shirt hidden underneath his bed where it had clearly been discarded. He pulled it out, holding it up to inspect the size, deciding it was just about alright. It was a plain black shirt with a purple emblem across the centre. He headed back downstairs with it in hand and chucked it across the room where Chris had relocated himself on the sofa, “Try this, it’s the smallest shirt I have but it’s probably a bit too big.” He called.

Chris hesitated for a moment, looking at the shirt in front of him, “Uhh… Would you be able to help me Smith? Just it hurts when I move my arms.” He asked with slight embarrassment as he felt the familiar warmth of a blush spread over his cheeks.

Alex almost spluttered at the request but he nodded and walked across the room. He knelt down in front of Chris, mirroring the position he had been in previously in the bathroom. His hands unzipped the black hoodie, sliding it over Chris’ arms before reaching forwards and unbuttoning the bloodstained shirt. He gently slipped it over Chris’ hands, leaving his chest bare and exposed. Here, he could see the purple marks forming across the slender curves of Chris’ body, could see the areas of injury and pinpoint the spots that Chris had been kicked. His fingers ghosted over the purple spots, tracing the pattern on Chris’ chest that the bruises had created, “Oh Chrissy… Have they done this before?” He asked softly, looking up at the brunette who had his head bowed and his bottom lip tugged between his teeth, trying to distract himself from the pain. Alex reached up, his hands resting gently against Chris’ cheeks, his thumbs smoothing over the swollen skin, “How often has it happened?”

Chris spoke quietly, his voice barely above a whisper, “Only twice before.”

“Well I’m not going to let it happen again.” Alex stated, no doubt in his voice.

Chris looked at Alex, his hazel eyes meeting blue as he whispered, “Thank you Alex…”

Alex nodded, leaning forwards and pressing his lips gently against Chris, carefully placing them on uninjured skin. His lips were a contrast to the smoother ones of Chris and he could taste the slight hint of blood under his tongue. He felt the brunette still beneath his touch, unmoving and frozen. Alex drew back, “I’m sorry Chris, I shouldn’t have done that.” He answered apologetically.

Chris shook his head, “No, I wanted it too, have since I met you. Just my lip hurts from earlier.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to hurt you.” Alex replied, picking up the black shirt and helping Chris to slip it over his head. He pulled it down, covering the bruised skin and smirked at the bagginess of the material despite it being the smallest he owned. At this point, Chris yawned, trying to stifle it behind his hand but Alex saw and asked, “Are you tired?”

Chris nodded and Alex stood, offering his hands to the brunette who took them and used them to help himself upwards. Once both men were standing, Alex reached over and gasped Chris’ hand beneath his own, entwining their fingers together as he looked over, smiling at the brunette. He guided Chris upwards towards his bedroom where he offered Chris his bed to rest on. 

Chris accepted the offer, climbing onto Alex’s bed, slipping beneath the striped blue duvet cover and wriggling around until he found a mostly comfortable position where his whole body didn’t scream in agony. 

“Do you need anything Chris?” Alex asked from where he stood over the bed, watching the brunette as he sighed in pain at his actions.

Chris nodded, “I need you. Can you stay with me please?” He asked shyly. He felt the bed shift and sink as Alex slipped beneath the covers. He felt a pair of strong hands slip carefully around his waist. 

“Thank you for looking after me today Alex.” He murmured sleepily.

“No problem Chrissy, anytime.” Alex replied softly, his hand reaching up and curling around strands of Chris’ hair as he ran his fingers through the brown mess, “Relax now and go to sleep.” 

Chris moved slightly so that his head rested against Alex’s chest, listening to the rhythmic thumping of the redhead’s heartbeat. He closed his eyes and let the much needed feeling of sleep overcome his body. It might not have been an ideal situation for Alex to see him in but he was glad it happened even with the pain he was in.


	6. Missing School

Over the next few days, Chris didn’t return to school and neither did Alex. Instead, Alex would dress in his school uniform, pack his school bag and head out of the door at 8:30 exactly, hoping to convince his parents that he was attending school. As he walked out of his house, he would take the right turning rather than the left and would walk until he reached the house that belonged to his boyfriend, Chris. Here, they would spend the day together, laughing and joking, playing video games or watching television, occasionally slipping in a bit of kissing when Chris felt up to it. All Alex wanted to do was look after Chris, even if it was to just take his mind of the injuries that scattered his body, distract him from the aching pain of his bruises. The skin around his eye started to turn away from a purplish colour to a darkened yellow, much like the rest of body, his lip and eyebrow beginning to heal. He was still in a lot of pain but the sharp, stabbing pain had moved to more of a constant ache.

For the first three days, the two of them never left the house, Chris preferring to stay tucked up in the warmth and protection of his own four walls. He spent the majority of the time beneath his duvet, the redhead lying next to him. Occasionally, they ventured into the lounge where the two of them would share the sofa, their legs tangling into a mess of limbs as their attention focused on the screen before them.

However, on the Friday after Chris’ attack, the two of them decided to venture outside. Holding the knowledge that people their age would be inside the school classroom, Chris felt he could relax. He knew there wouldn’t be the muttered words, the looks of hatred or the physical violence that came with the people in the school. They decided that it would be nice to visit their local park, just a 15 minute walk away. 

When they arrived, Alex pushed open the park gate, holding it open for Chris to pass through before following himself. Much to their relief, the park grounds were completely empty, no-one else in sight. Alex, with a smile on his face asked,

“What do you wanna go on first?” 

Chris paused, looking around at his options: the swings, the slide, the climbing frame and the roundabout. Each thing looked like a lot of fun but his eyes settled on the swings before him. With a giggle, Chris ran towards them and threw himself on the moving seat, using his legs to push his body forwards. He felt the feeling of wind in his hair as his body moved back and forth with high speeds. For the first time in a while, Chris felt his worries and concerns lift, being replaced by a carefree attitude. He felt free, swinging in the sky. 

Looking on at Chris, Alex watched with a loving smile on his face, enjoying the sight of his boyfriend who was properly happy for the first time since they’d met. After a few moments, Alex followed Chris and slipped into the seat next to Chris, using his long and lanky legs to propel himself. They used the swings together for a while, laughing and giggling as they did so, their movements combining so that they were swinging in unison. Eventually, Alex came to a halt, resting his feet flat against the floor,

“Hey Chris…” He called softly, waiting for the brunette to halt his actions before continuing, “You’re pretty amazing, you know?”

Chris turned his gaze to the floor before him, using his long fringe to hide beneath as a warm, red blush spread over his cheeks, “Don’t be silly…”

Alex lifted himself from the swing seat, moving until he stood before Chris, “I’m not being silly, I think I’m falling in love with you.” He lifted his hands, placing them against Chris’ cheeks before leaning in and placing a gentle kiss against his lips. He felt Chris smile beneath his smile. As he pulled back, he offered his hand to Chris who took it and helped himself upright before Alex pulled him towards the slide. It was turning out to be a good day...


	7. Secret Smile

When Chris returned to school the following Monday, he couldn’t help the way his hands shook as he tried to knot the tie around his neck. He couldn’t help the butterflies that filled his stomach at the thought of seeing the people that left his skin bruised and aching. Chris very nearly decided to skip class for one more day, finding the thought of lying in bed with his guitar in hand much more appealing. But it was the knowledge that his boyfriend would be in same building, that gave him the courage he needed to slip his blazer over his shoulders and head through the school gates.

When Chris saw Alex for the first time that day, it was before school had even started. Well, he felt him before he even saw him. With fifteen minutes still to go before the bell rang, the corridors of the school were almost empty. But this didn’t stop Chris from rushing through, his head bent and his eyes fixated on the floor before him. He decided that if he didn’t look at anyone directly, no-one would have a reason to target and attack him. However, Chris found out the hard way that perhaps this wasn’t the best way to be walking...

Without looking at where he was going, Chris stumbled and felt the books fall from his hands, hitting the tiled floor with a loud clatter. He sighed and bent down to retrieve them. As he did so, he felt a large hand splay over the small of his back as a body crouched beside him. Chris jumped in surprise at the touch of someone, bringing back the memories from the attack the previous week.

“You alright love?” Alex’s voice whispered, just loud enough for only Chris to hear. At the sound of a voice so familiar to him, Chris relaxed against Alex’s touch, 

“Just a bit clumsy s’all…” Chris answered as Alex reached past Chris and picked up the three books from the floor, passing them to the brunette. Chris smiled at Alex before standing and stepping away, out of physical contact, ensuring that no-one would be able to see the love in his eyes and the care in his touch. They parted ways, heading for their separate classes.

When Chris saw Alex again, it was when he was walking through the school, heading for the toilet mid-lesson. It was on accident that he walked through the English department. And it was pure coincidence that as he passed one of the classrooms, he looked through the window and the caught the eye of one student in particular, Alex. He beamed at the redhead and lifted his hand in a small wave. In return, he was met with a grin from Alex. Chris continued walking, leaving his boyfriend to his english lesson while he headed in the opposite direction.

The next time Chris saw Alex was in their science class. As soon as Alex opened the door, Chris couldn’t help the smile that spread over his cheeks as he looked at his boyfriend. Alex sauntered through the rows of tables and classmates and sat down in the seat next to Chris. He turned to his boyfriend and whispered, “I’ve missed you Chris.”

Chris felt the warmth of a blush creep over his skin at those words, “You too. You still alright to come round later?” He responded quietly.

Before Alex could reply, the teacher began speaking, instructing the class on their tasks for the lesson. They had to answer some questions from the textbook until halfway through the class when the teacher moved to playing a video.

As the classroom lights dimmed and a film began playing on the screen, Chris slumped in his chair. He was relieved, he had made it through the day without any problems. This had been a day he was dreading but thankfully, he was able to get through it without any scathing comments or physical violence. With this being the last period of the day, Chris was almost into freedom, almost able to escape the four walls that kept him prisoner. He jumped slightly in surprise as he felt the warmth of Alex’s hand surround his own, his fingers curling around Chris’. It was an unexpected movement and Chris’ eyes widened as he looked around the room, hoping no-one else had seen. But to his relief, every-one either had their eyes fixed on the screen or on their phones hidden discreetly under the table.

He felt Alex lean forwards until his head rested just centimetres from his own, “It’s alright love, no-one can see.” Alex’s whispered words felt hot against his skin, tickling the sensitive spot below his ear. He looked over and smiled at Alex who returned the upturning of his lips. Chris wasn’t sure how he had ever managed to get through school life without the redhead and his smile, one that could brighten a room. It was a smile just for him, their secret smile.


	8. Musical Love

When the final bell of the day rang, Alex and Chris hurried out of the science lesson, relieved that school was over for another day. As they walked, they quickly fell into a comfortable conversation where they talked about anything and everything. Even though it had just been one school day, one lesson of which they shared, it felt like they had been apart for ages. 

Once Chris had put his key in the door and both men had stepped through, Alex closed it shut before pouncing on Chris. Alex slipped his hands around Chris’ waist, his thumbs resting on the slender curves of the brunette’s hipbones. He smiled at Chris before pushing his body against the surface of the closed door, pinning him against the wooden material. He dipped his head, closing the distance between Chris and himself, meeting Chris’ mouth with his own. Underneath his touch, he could feel the contrast of smoothness to his own rough lips. He pressed firmly against Chris’ lips, taking control of the kiss as he quickly found a rhythm for them to move in unison to. It didn’t take long for the kiss to become heated, everything else in the world forgotten as if they were the only two who mattered in it. 

Alex’s tongue traced the shape of Chris’ bottom lip before taking it between his teeth and gently pulling it forwards as if seeking entry. Chris obeyed, his lips parting as Alex’s tongue slipped between them. His tongue explored the shapes of Chris’ mouth, tasting the slight aftertaste of chocolate still residing on Chris’ lips from the bar he had eaten at lunchtime. As they moved together, Alex’s hands slid beneath Chris’ white shirt, pulling it away from his skin as he had the desperate need for contact. His hands roamed across Chris’ body, sliding from the small of his back, running along his sides and tracing the toned shape of his stomach, tickling the sensitive skin. His fingers moved, slipping his black tie away from his neck before unbuttoning the buttons that held Chris’ shirt together, revealing the skin beneath. The kiss continued as his hands explored the new area, tracing lightly over the raised bumps of his nipples, eliciting a breathy moan from his boyfriend. As Alex smiled into the kiss, he suddenly felt forceful hands push against his shoulders as Chris moved his head away from Alex’s,

“We can’t…” He whispered breathlessly, “My parent’s are back in a minute, I’m sorry.” He continued, apologetically. 

Alex’s nodded as his eyes lingered over Chris’ lips, noticing how they were parted slightly, shorts pants of breath escaping through them. Chris’ cheeks were reddened with excitement and his eyes were wider than normal. In a hurried attempt to fix his uniform, his shirt had become crumpled and untucked and his hair was sticking up wildly at the back. Even now, a few weeks after he had met the brunette, he couldn’t believe how lucky he truly was to be able to have him between his arms.

Alex felt fingers tangle themselves with his own as Chris led the redhead in the direction of his bedroom. Inside, there was a double bed with a striped blue duvet cover and a television that rested upon a dresser opposite. To the right of the room, sat a slightly worn guitar underneath a selection of posters on the wall. As Alex threw himself down on the bed, his arms resting behind his head, bouncing at the motion, his eyes fell on the musical instrument,

“Didn’t know you play guitar Chris.”

Chris nodded, “Have since I was about 11, love it.”

A smile spread over Alex’s face as an idea formed in his mind, “Can you play something for me?”

Chris hesitated, he hated playing the guitar for other people, especially ones he knew played themselves like Alex, “Do I have too?”

Alex stuck his bottom lip out to form a childlike pout, “Pretty please?”

Chris sighed, “Fine.” He walked across the room, picking his guitar up, resting in against his hipbone. His fingers moved across the strings with expertise as he began to strum slowly, a song that Alex instantly recognised. He played through the song, singing the words softly as he reached the chorus,

"How long will I love you  
As long as stars are above you  
And longer if I can  
How long will I need you  
As long as the seasons need to  
Follow their plan  
How long will I be with you  
As long as the sea is bound to  
Wash up on the sand  
How long will I want you  
As long as you want me to  
And longer by far  
How long will I hold you  
As long as your father told you  
As long as you can”

To Alex, Chris’ voice was melodic. The tone that passed through his lips was a range of captivating sounds that he was entranced by, never wanting the song to end. He As Chris’ voice trailed off towards the end of the song, he felt the warmth of Alex’s body as his arms surrounding his body. He felt Alex’s warm breath against the back of his neck and felt the gentle placing of his lips against the skin,

“Wow that was beautiful…” Alex murmured, “Y’know, for as long as you love me, I’ll love you too…”


	9. Next Morning

Late into the evening, after a while spent alternating between talking and kissing, Chris found himself unable to hide his tiredness anymore. He opened his mouth, a vocalised yawn passing through his lips. He lifted a hand to try and conceal it but he knew just a hand in front of his mouth didn’t hide it from his boyfriend who smirked as he asked,

“You tired love?”

Chris reluctantly nodded, he knew that admitting to tiredness would mean it was time for Alex to leave and he didn’t want that quite yet. They were currently curled up on the sofa together, a blanket covering their bodies and their bellies filled with takeaway pizza. They were watching a silly film with matching content smiles on their faces. 

Just as Chris predicted, Alex glanced at his phone as he sat upright, untangling himself from Chris’ body, “It’s getting late love, maybe you should go to bed.”

“I guess so…” He answered miserably, as much as his body sought sleep, his mind wanted nothing more than the redhead before him. As he threw the blanket from his body, suddenly a brilliant idea sprung to mind, what if he could get the best of both worlds? What if he could go to bed and have Alex beside him? “Why don’t you stay the night?” He asked before quickly adding, “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

A smile formed across Alex’s cheeks, “I’d love that.” The redhead rose from the sofa before stretching his hand out, offering it to Chris who took it and helped himself to stand. Chris linked their fingers together before guiding Alex back up to his bedroom , the second time that day. Chris, delving behind one of the pillows of his bed, pulled out a screwed up black t-shirt and a pair of blue checked pyjama bottoms. With the rough material of the trousers in hand, he turned to Alex, 

“You can borrow some trousers if you want, I’m sure they’d fit?”

Alex shook his head, “If it’s alright with you, I prefer to sleep in just boxer shorts.” As if to prove his point, Alex began to unbutton his school shirt.

Chris turned so that his back was to Alex, even after sharing intimate moments together, he was embarrassed by his scrawny frame. He slipped his trousers from his legs, replacing them with his favourite pyjama bottoms before moving onto his shirt. He pulled the material from his body, instead replacing it with his t-shirt. When he turned back around, he saw Alex standing before him, his chest bare to reveal his muscular skin and a just pair of dark purple boxer shorts resting low on his hips. As Alex’s eyes wandered over Chris’ body, a smirk grew on his face,

“I forgot you had that shirt, looks good on you.” 

At Alex’s words, Chris looked down at the shirt he was wearing only to realise, it was the shirt that Alex had leant him a few weeks prior after he was attacked by the school bullies. After he had worn it home, it had become a permanent fixture to his night-time wardrobe. He had kept it originally because of the lingering scent of coffee and vanilla that clung to the material, reminding him that it was once worn by his boyfriend. After that scent had begun to disappear, he continued to wear it as felt soft and comfortable close to his body, “It’s comfy.” He answered.

“You look great in my clothes.” Alex smirked as he walked over to the bed, lifted the side of the duvet and slipped underneath. He wriggled, moving down the bed so that his head rested against the pillow in a more comfortable position. Once he was settled, he turned to Chris who was still standing beside the bed. Alex lifted the corner of the quilt, “You not coming in?”

Chris smiled, sliding his body between the duvet and the mattress. He rested his head against Alex’s taller body, enjoying the comfort and warmth that being so close to him brought. Beneath his head, he could hear the constant thudding of Alex’s heart-beat and found the sound reassuring and soothing. He closed his eyes, mumbling sleepily, “Love you…” before he let sleep wash over his tired body.

\-----

When Chris awoke, he look a few moments to realise that he was still in the arms of his boyfriend, his strong arms wrapped around his waist. He felt more refreshed than he had done for a long time, the presence of his boyfriend putting him into a deep sleep. Chris opened his eyes, blinking through the sleep haze until the world was only in a slight blur from the lack of glasses covering his eyes. He could just about make out the time to read 8:45. Somehow, they had either slept through the morning alarm or it had never sounded but either way, they were running late for school. Chris tried to slip out of the bed but found the grip around his waist was too tight for him to move. He tried to pull at the hands that rested on his waist but they wouldn’t budge,

“Alex?” He called, trying to wake Alex from his sleep. After a few moments of silence, he tried again, “Alex, it’s time to get up, we’re late for school.”

At this, Alex began to stir, letting out a groan as he complained, “Don’t wanna get up, 5 more minutes?” 

Chris rolled over in Alex’s arms until he was facing the redhead, as much as he wanted to stay in bed for the whole day, not just 5 minutes, he knew that it would mean they would be very late for school, “Love, I need you to get up.” Chris responded with a sense of urgency in his voice. In reply, Chris felt the grip around his waist loosen and he took the opportunity to dart out bed and head into the shower, leaving Alex to wake slowly.

As he stepped out of the shower, a towel slung low around his hips, he felt a hand rest against his waist, 

“Morning love…” Alex mumbled sleepily, leaning forwards to place a light kiss against Chris’ skin. Chris smiled, he had never seen this side of Alex, the one with the hair sticking up in every direction, who was clingy and cuddly in the morning. It was safe to say that he was not a morning person, “You know Chris, we could have showered together? Save time and water and everything?”

Chris smirked, he knew that would not have been the case, “It would have taken twice as long, we would be even later for school.” Chris picked up the spare towel on the radiator, throwing it at Alex before heading out of the room and dressing himself in his school uniform once again. When he was ready, he walked downstairs into the kitchen where he prepared two bowls of cereal, leaving one with a spoon in for Alex. Dressed in his own uniform, Alex came down the stairs looking slightly more awake than just moments ago, joining Chris at the table. Sitting next to him, they ate their cereal in silence before picking their bags up from where they had been slung the previous afternoon. They hurried out of the door and towards school, thankful for the short distance.

“You know…” Chris spoke as they neared the school, “I don’t think I’ve slept that well in ages… If you want, you can stay round more often?”

Alex nodded in response, “That’s a great idea.”

As they entered the building, Chris knew they would both be issued with detention but it didn’t matter. For him, being late and having to spend 30 minutes in silence at the end of the day, was worth being able to spend the night with his boyfriend. Having him next to him, gave him the peace and comfort he needed for a good night’s sleep, one of hopefully many still to come.


	10. Missing You

When Alex awoke, his head was pounding and his throat felt scratchy and sore. He was too hot and his skin was drenched in a layer sweat. He could feel the sun shining in from his window, illuminating the skin on his face. He rolled over in his bed, turning so that he faced the opposite wall, an action that he instantly regretted as his body screamed in agony at the movement. His stomach lurched, and he threw his covers away from his body, wincing at the sudden change in temperature as he rushed towards the bathroom. He made it just in time to lean over the toilet and empty the contents of his stomach. Alex flushed the toilet, shutting the lid before resting his forehead lightly against the cool material. Great, he thought to himself, just what I need, to be ill. He stayed in that position for a while, unsure of how long had actually passed before with a groan, he pulled himself back to the depths of his duvet covered bed. 

Once beneath the sheets, Alex stretched his hand out, feeling blindly on the bedside table. His hand connected with the metal of his phone and he lifted towards his face, finding the brightness almost unbearable. He pressed a few buttons, finding his previous text message conversations with Chris where he typed a new one:

Sorry love, I won’t be in school today, not feeling too great. X

Almost within seconds, Alex’s phone pinged with a notification as a new message appeared: Everything alright? Hope you feel better soon Alex, do you want me to pop over after school? X

Alex thought for a moment, as much as he wanted his brunette boyfriend to visit him, he knew it would make him feel better, he didn’t want Chris to end up sick as well. It’s a stomach bug I think, it’s probably best if you stay away. Have fun at school love. X 

Alex placed his phone back against his bedside table and closed his eyes, letting much needed sleep wash over his tired body. He hoped that in a few hours, he would be feeling better. 

A while later, Alex’s deep sleep was interrupted by his phone beeping with a new text message. When he picked up his phones, he saw that it read: Missing you! Xx

Alex smiled to himself, he could guess how hard it would be for Chris to be at school without him, it would mean the brunette would have to go back to the isolated lunchtimes and the lonely science lessons. But despite this, Chris still had managed to think about Alex and send him a text message. Alex couldn’t help feeling slightly guilty at abandoning his boyfriend, especially as they had arranged to spend lunch together but as he curled back beneath the covers, he promised to himself to make it up to Chris.

When Alex next opened his eyes, his room was washed in darkness after many hours having passed. This time, rather than a text message, he was pulled from his sleep by the sound of a voice at the side of his bed speaking softly,

“Alex, wake up love…” 

Alex groaned and opened his eyes slowly. He blinked rapidly as he tried to unblur the world in front of him. Once he had removed the sleep from his eyes, Alex’s eyes fell on the outline of the brunette who was standing next to his bed,

“C-Chris?” He asked sleepily, “What you doing here?”

“I know you said not to come but I just wanted to see how you were.” Alex felt the side of the bed dip under Chris’ weight as the brunette sat beside him, “You look like shit.” Chris observed with a smile on his face, stretching his hand out and resting it lightly against Alex’s paled skin.

“Cheers love, I feel like shit too…” Alex laughed, trying to sit upright in his bed. The last few hours of sleep had alleviated some of the pain from his headache but he didn’t feel much better, “How was school?”

Chris pulled a face that conveyed disgust, “Horrible without you. Especially science, it sucked.”

“Aww sorry Chrissy… I missed you too today, I hate being stuck in bed all day.” Alex paused for a moment, his face lighting up with a smile as a thought entered his mind, “Do you want to go sit in the garden? I could do with getting some fresh air.”

With slow, lethargic movements, Alex pulled himself out of his bed where he stopped to pull an old hoodie over his tired body. He then made his way down the stairs, only wobbling slightly when he reached the bottom before continuing through his house and into the garden, Chris behind him. When they were outside, Alex curled himself into one of the garden chairs, tucking his legs beneath his body. It was only at this point that he noticed what Chris had in his hands: a guitar,

“You gonna play some music?” He asked, smiling at the blush that spread over Chris’ cheeks. Even though he was good at the instrument, Alex knew that Chris was always shy when it came to playing it.

“Thought it might cheer you up a little.”

Chris began strumming on his guitar, his fingers gliding across the strings with practised expertise. It was a song that was familiar to Alex but in his sickened state, could not place the name. It was soothing to listen to and he couldn’t help the way a smile grew on his face as his eyes fluttered shut and his body was lulled in a sleepy state. Chris continued playing, stopping only when he heard the gentle snores escape his boyfriend’s body. He placed his guitar down and with a smile, he shook his boyfriend’s shoulder,

“Alex love, you should go back to bed…”

He took Alex’s hand in his own and helped the tired redhead back to his bedroom, placing a gentle kiss to his pale forehead. As he turned to leave, Alex mumbled sleepily,

“Thank you Chris, I’m lucky to have you.” His words were spoken with truth behind them. There weren’t many people in his life that he could depend on, but he knew Chris would always be there for him, to cheer him up and help him out even if he hadn't had a good day himself.


	11. A Date To Remember

After a few days spent in bed, Alex had recovered from his sickness bug and was ready to adventure into the outside world. He had decided to take Chris out to the nearest restaurant, wanting to treat him to a meal. It was both as an apology for leaving Chris to spend the last week alone and as a thanks for looking after him. There had been plenty of phone calls and text messages as well as regular appearances from the brunette before and after school. And Alex was grateful.

Alex picked up Chris from his house at 7 in the evening, knocking at the door dressed in a smart button-up red shirt. It was untucked, hanging over his skinny jeans, accessorized with his usual black converse trainers. As Chris opened the door, he revealed the large grin that resided on his face, smiling at the sight of his boyfriend. Fortunately, the restaurant was within walking distance. They walked close together, their hands brushing with every step but never quite touching. As they reached the entrance, Alex stepped forwards and opened the door, letting Chris pass through. 

“Hi sweetie, how are you today?” A chirpy voice called out, heading over to the door. The voice belonged to a young teenager, around the same age as the two boys. She was petite with blonde hair that fell into curls around her shoulders. She had hazel eyes that roamed over Alex’s body, observing the taught shirt over his muscular shoulders, looking at the long length of his legs and smiling as she reached his face. It was evident that she was looking at Alex with a flirtatious look in her eyes. And Chris had to just watch on, his jaw clenched in annoyance. The woman spoke again, “Would you like a table or a booth?”

Alex, ignoring the woman’s motives, replied, “If it’s possible, can we have a booth?”

“For you sweetie, anything’s possible…” The blonde giggled and Chris rolled his eyes, she wasn’t even trying to hide the way she was flirting with Alex. She led the couple to a booth at the back of the restaurant, shielded away from the public’s eye by tall padded cushions either side. Chris slipped into the left side of the booth while Alex took the right so that they were facing each other. Once the blonde had passed over the two menus in her hand and left them alone, Chris let out a sigh of relief.

“Everything alright love?” Alex asked, reaching his hand out to rest gently against Chris’, expressing his concern.

Chris nodded, “Who does she think she is? Coming here and flirting with you?”

“Aww…” Alex smiled, “Is my little Chrissy jealous?”

“No!” Chris exclaimed, “Well maybe a little… Is it wrong if I don’t like watching people trying to chat you up?”

“Of course not…” Alex’s voice changed tone, becoming serious as he took Chris’ hand completely into his own, “But you have nothing to worry about Chris. There’s only one person in the world that I love and he’s sitting right in front of me.”

Chris smiled at Alex, “Thank you, love you too.” 

Alex wanted nothing more in that moment than to just lean over and kiss Chris’ lips but as they heard the voice of the blonde waitress nearing the table, they moved apart from each other. Alex’s hand went instead to resting against Chris’ leg underneath the table where it wouldn’t be seen,

“What can I get you today?” The blonde asked, directing the question to Alex as if Chris wasn’t even there. They ordered their meals: a burger and chips for Alex and a pepperoni pizza for Chris, two glasses of coke to accompany the food. Aside from the blonde waitress, the two enjoyed their meal thoroughly, using the time to talk about what Alex had missed over the last week due to being ill and about random things. It was a pleasant experience and they had a great time together. 

After Alex had generously paid the bill and the two of them had stood from their table, getting ready to leave, the blonde waitress walked over with a piece of paper in her hand. She thrust it towards Alex, giggling as she spoke, “Here sweetie, give me a call sometime, I’d love to see you again.”

Alex sighed, placing his arm around Chris’ shoulder, “I’m sorry ‘sweetie’ but the only person I want to see again is standing next to me. I don’t need you when I have him. “ Without thinking about it, Alex leant forwards and placed his lips against Chris’, capturing them in a kiss to prove his point. As he pulled away from the brunette, Alex could hear sniggering from a nearby table, the sound of a camera flashing and an oddly familiar voice shouting, “Fucking fags.” 

It was a voice that Alex recognised from school, pinning it to one of the people that had been bullying Chris for the last few years. Shit, he thought to himself, that’s not good. He turned to Chris who had paled significantly, noting the look of fear in his eyes. Chris turned and hurried out the door, Alex desperately following him. Maybe this date didn’t turn out quite as well as they’d hoped. It was definitely one that they were going to remember...


	12. United Against The World

When Chris awoke the following morning, it was as if everything that had happened was just a dream. There was momentary relief but it didn’t last long. As Chris picked up his phone from his bedside table, he was met with a bombardment of notifications from various social media networks. He could see messages from facebook, from twitter and even texts despite very few having his phone number. Although the screen cut out the majority of text, he could make out the harsh words: FAG. QUEER. HOMO. FREAK. 

And suddenly, everything came flooding back to him. They had been caught together at the restaurant, photo evidence showing them sharing a gentle kiss. That photo by the look of it had was currently circulating through the students at their school. It had been seen by almost everyone and no-one seemed happy about the news. Chris felt sick at the thought of having to walk into classrooms filled with these bullies and being the subject of their harsh words and violence. Unsure of what to do, Chris turned to the other side of the bed, where Alex was spread over, still fast asleep. He raised his hand, resting it against Alex’s shoulder as he shook it slightly, calling out,

“Alex, wake up.”

With a groan, Alex opened his eyes, blinking sleepily as he looked around the room in confusion, unable to understand why he had been lifted from his sleep so suddenly. His gaze landed on Chris beside him who had his bottom lip between his teeth and a look of fear in his eyes,

“Chris?” He asked, his voice thick with sleep.

Chris passed his phone over to Alex where the screen had been opened to show a variety of the messages he had received, “They know.”

“Know what?” 

“About us. The photograph from yesterday, everyone’s seen it Alex.”

“Oh.” Alex answered, pulling himself from his position, instead sitting up in the bed. He reached over, wrapping his arms around Chris;’ slender waist. His skin was rough against Chris’ but it was warm and reassuring, comforting the frightened brunette, “It’s gonna be alright Chris.” He whispered softly.

Chris turned his head to face Alex, alerting the redhead of the tears that were starting to fall from his eyes, “How? How is it it? They already hate me, they’re gonna hate you now.” He mumbled sadly.

Alex lifted his hand, gently brushing away some of the fallen tears with the pad of his thumb, “But I have you, it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. We’ll get through it love, it’s you and me against the world.”

Chris nodded, “Thank you Alex.”

“Right, now no more tears?”

Chris smiled sadly, “No more tears.”

Despite the feeling of fear that resided in the pit of his stomach, Chris pulled himself from the comfort of Alex’s arms and headed into the shower, getting ready for school. As they headed to the building, they walked side-by-side, their arms touching with every step. About half way through their journey, Chris felt his hand be surrounded with warmth as Alex took it beneath his own, entwining their fingers together. Chris jumped at the touch, trying to separate their skin as he looked around, hoping no-one had seen,

“What are you doing Alex?” He asked.

Alex shrugged, “They already know, why bother hiding?”

Chris considered what Alex was saying, on one hand, he didn’t want to give the bullies at school any extra ammo to use against him. But if they had seen the picture, there was no need to conceal their relationship. He looked at Alex who said, “Remember love, it’s you and me against the world.”

Chris nodded, reaching out and taking Alex’s hand in his own, if Alex wasn’t scared, then there wasn’t any need for him to be. They could do this. With a deep breath, Chris entered the school gates, a smile on his face and Alex’s fingers around his own, ignoring the stares they received.

As expected, throughout the day, Chris was stared at, made fun of, called names, pushed and pulled. But it didn’t matter anymore, he was no longer alone in the pain and suffering, he had his boyfriend beside him at every point. After every class, Chris was met by Alex leaning against the classroom doorway, waiting for him so he could escort the brunette to his next class. At lunchtime, they ate together on their own table. In science class, they were still sitting next to each other. And at the end of the day, they left school together, hand-in-hand as they headed back to Chris’ house. Chris didn’t feel quite so alone anymore.


End file.
